After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 230

Time rewinds to when Balak had yet to regain his composure. Sebelia, having accepted Nathan’s proposition, followed him out of the exhibition hall.

“Are you all right?”

Dehart whispered close to her ear as she walked straight ahead. Sebelia kept her gaze fixed on Nathan’s back, nodding slightly. Still, Dehart’s expression remained tense.

The trap Nathan and the First Queen had prepared was cruel and insidious.

Mother?

Dehart clicked his tongue. So this is how they used the lure of family. They knew exactly what ‘mother’ meant to Sebelia—and they weren’t about to give up that enticing bait.

Even knowing it was a trap, she had no choice but to open the door and step inside.

Now’s not the time. Better review the plan again.

Dehart forced himself to keep his eyes on Sebelia’s face as he went over their plan one more time.

Nathan would try every excuse to get Sebelia to take the d**g. She would pretend to take it, secretly swallow the antidote, and send a signal to Dehart.

At the right moment, Nathan would react aggressively, insisting she was Cornelia.

That’s when Claude will lead the knights and nobles here.

Once the confrontation began and the crowd’s attention turned, Nathan would command Sebelia to publicly acknowledge she was Cornelia.

But that only works if she doesn’t have the antidote yet.

At that critical moment, Sebelia would calmly counter his claim. With the tea he had offered and Roden’s testimony while imprisoned, she would expose Marquis Wheddon’s family completely.

That was the scenario Dehart and Sebelia had meticulously devised.

Fortunately, the physician’s skills are exceptional.

In just one day, Watts had prepared not only the antidote but also a reagent to identify the hallucinogenic ingredient of the d**g. Knowing that the core substance was banned in the Empire proved invaluable.

I’ll have to reward him when this is over.

Dehart exhaled sharply and ran a hand through his hair. Then, Sebelia glanced back at him. For a fleeting moment, her blue eyes met his—icy and merciless, like transparent glass.

It seemed accidental, yet her gaze returned forward immediately. Dehart felt his heart sink. That cold, ruthless look—directed at Nathan—still squeezed at his chest.

“Ha…”

He clenched his teeth to focus. His role was crucial. Nathan paused.

“This is the place. She’s waiting inside. The Duke will remain here until your business there is complete.”

The door was ornate, carved from ivory. Sebelia felt surreal.

Mother.

She reached for the handle, feeling her fingers tremble slightly. She swallowed a bitter laugh. Hoping even a little, while knowing it was a lie—her calm blue eyes chilled further.

Would her real mother really be behind this door?

No.

Sebelia knew it was likely a stand-in. As soon as she entered, the woman would cry, embrace her, whisper apologies and love.

Yes, it was a trap. Whoever awaited inside would only leave her with pain. Yet sometimes, even knowing it’s a trap, one must face it.

Just like now.

Sebelia pushed the door open and stepped inside, Nathan close behind.

* * *

Ah, how predictable.

It felt like watching a play whose ending she already knew. Sebelia’s emotions twisted as she gazed at the middle-aged woman approaching, tears streaming.

“My dear child, my poor daughter!”

The woman clutched Sebelia, guiding her to a sofa. She sobbed and rambled, finally setting down a handkerchief to meet Sebelia’s eyes.

Sebelia realized her father had carefully chosen this stand-in.

“…What’s your name?”

Swallowing her nerves, she asked. The woman, smiling through tears, took Sebelia’s hand and spoke gently:

“You should call me Mom, my dear. Ah, so you’ve always wondered about your mother’s name. Surely that’s not all you’re curious about, is it?”

“……”

“Anything is fine. You can resent me, be angry at me. It’s all right. For today, do as you please. If this lets me atone for leaving you alone, it’s enough for me.”

Her breath hitched. Even knowing the woman was a stand-in, Sebelia couldn’t pull her hand away. Ironically, it was the woman’s excessive warmth that rescued her.

“Ah, and I have good news, my dear. Your father has agreed that we can live together. If you wish, it won’t be here in the capital, but somewhere quiet.”

The moment ‘mother’ spoke of ‘father’, reality flooded Sebelia.

“Ah.”